Friday, November 18, 2005

This morning, exiting the subway car, there was a 12 foot tall iPod ad stuck to the wall in front of me. I kid you not; 12 feet at least. It was freaking HUGE!

Last week, in another subway station, it was a Colgate ad on the front part of the stairs, the risers I think they’re called.

Yesterday morning, driving to work, we were in the car 10 whole minutes before actually hearing anything but publicity.

Then there are the pop ups and banners on websites and the ads on the doors of public toilets - you can't even have your pants down around your ankles without seeing some sort of publicity.

It’s everywhere, all the time and truth be told, I’m heartily sick of seeing/hearing publicity. What’s the idea? Seeing a 12 foot tall, red, yellow and black iPod ad first thing in the morning will make me buy it? Um… don’t think so. Sorry folks.

And then there’s product placement in TV shows. Arrrghhh!

We’re currently watching the Sopranos on DVD (yes, I am one of the only people in North America to have never seen the Sopranos on TV. Shoot me. Had I known what I was missing though, but I digress).

This show has constant product placement for Tropicana™ orange juice (every time they open the fridge, there it is, prominently displayed). In one episode there is even a scene devoted to Tony Soprano bitching that his wife didn’t buy the juice with the right amount of pulp in it!!! I can’t help but wonder how James Gandolfini and Edie Falco felt as actors, having to do that scene. It was blatant. It was awful. It sucked.

Then, of those I’ve noticed, there’s Snapple™ and Motts™ apple juice, Turtles ™ (hee hee, I figured out how to to the trademark symbol – might as well do it right).

Come to think of it, have I been doing product placement without even realizing it? Does anyone all of a sudden have a hankering for Tropicana or Snapple? Are you all running out to grab some? Is that what you’ll buy the next time you go to the supermarket? If so, let me know, I’ll be contacting the companies to get my cut.

On another note, it is winter in Montreal all of a sudden. Six below (20F for you non metric types) this morning. The Jazzzer is in total denial (it’s true what they say, it ain’t just a river in Egypt). I met my neighbour as I was leaving to catch the bus. She said, “We have five or six more months of this to look forward to. But hey, look at the bright side, in a couple of months -6 will seem positively balmy”. I wanted to slap her because ya know, she was right, but I don’t need reminding.

Quebec as a distinct society: This week the Parti Québecois (the separatist party in Quebec) elected a new leader, André Boisclair. I'm pretty sure he's a first in that he's openly gay (edit: nope, not true, there was Sven whose last name I can't remember in B.C. - Was it Robinson?). However I think we can safely assume he is the first to actually admit to having taken cocaine. He'll probably be the next Premier of Quebec. Course, let's face it, it's not like he's the first politician to have done drugs (and here in include alcolholics). Anyway, point is, he will no doubt foist yet another separation referendum upon us. *sigh*

I can’t believe how long it's been since I posted. I have been son busy, November is always a horrendous month for me at work. Well, at least I have the weekend to look forward to. I better squeeze every little bit I can out of it since I’ll be working all of next weekend. *sigh* (again)

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

1. As I child I remember wanting to be (in no particular order) : a chemist, a doctor, a nurse, an archivist, a librarian, a nun (!!!!), a teacher2. I broke my front tooth in fencing class - not because someone hit me in the face, but because I was leaning over the rack when I took out my sword and hit myself in the face with the handle (which is balanced by a piece of lead).3. I don't have a cellphone.4. I have stubby toes, which make my feet look chubby5. I didn't have a dishwasher or microwave until three years ago when we bought the cottage and they were included - and I still don't have a microwave at home. I didn't use the dishwasher until a friend actually showed me how it works.6. I don't like reality TV shows, except Survivor and Amazing Race - which, to my everlasting shame, I would NEVER miss.7. I have never been stung by a bee or wasp8. I sometimes fantasize about having a man "take care" of me. And I much more often thank my lucky stars that Mr. Jazzz is not that type of man because I'd go crazy withing a week.9. I love ladybugs and frogs10. I love all things creepy, crawley, slimy (remember the rhyme: Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice, Little boys are made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails - I'm definitely the boy there. Off topic, I always wondered whether the puppy dog tails were still attached to the puppy....)11. I envy elegant women, but don't have the energy to invest the time and money necessary to become one.12. I have an abiding love for books from Taschen. (http://www.taschen.com/)13. I wonder whether I'll be able to make it to 5014. Despite the fact that I live somewhere where it's cold 6 months out of the year, I loathe the cold.15. Despite my loathing, and bitching about it, I'd have lots of trouble leaving my support system to go live somewhere warm.16. Cuddling with Mr. Jazzz when it's cold is one of my greatest pleasures.17. I love tea. As long as there's tea there's hope.18. Marillion is my favourite band ever (but you know that by now - LOL). However, I'd say my favourite music is standard Jazz (surprise surprise) and classical. Unfortunately, I don't listen to nearly enough of either.19. My favourite book of all time is Lord of the Rings, which I've read about 7-8 times. And I loved Peter Jackson's movie adaptation20. Watching the LOTR movies, I discovered Viggo Mortensen and fell in lust. However I prefer him as Aragorn to any other incarnation. I like him scruffy - go figure.21. I don't a man in a suit. Really. Yuck. Is it surprising I'm with a guy who doesn't even OWN a suit??22. I've been to Nepal twice and both times I got mountain sickness before I could reach my goal. Even now (five and nine years later), it still irks me to no end.23. I like stones and rocks and boulders.25. One of my favourite places on earth is the Sonora desert just outside Tucson, Arizona.26. The older I get, the more I realize it (whatever your it happens to be) doesn't really matter all that much.27. I know the answer to the question of Life, The Universe and Everything.28. My favourite flower is the Anthurium (yes, I know, I know, phallic as hell)29. To celebrate my 40th birthday I went skydiving.30. I'm looking for some cool way to celebrate my 45th.31. I love the smell of dried pineapple weed. It smells not of pineapple but of camomille.32. My favourite ice cream is Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, but I know nothing of the Grateful Dead's music.33. When I was a kid, and my mom ordered me away from my book of the moment and outside to play in the winter I would build myself a horse out of snow and ride away into the desert.34. I'm beginning to think I just might manage this.35. I have a deep and abiding love for the written word.36. I love orange juice in the morning. I can't start my day without it.37. My favourite bird is probably the humble chickadee. Perhaps because in winter I manage to make them eat out of my hand - which is an absolute thrill for me. Besides, how cute are they???38. Smell is very important to me. When I get a new book, often the first thing I do is open it and smell it. I also love smelling Mr. Jazzz.39. I'm very shy and people have trouble believing me when I tell them so.40. I like to colour. Mindware has some amazing colouring books (http://www.mindwareonline.com/)41. I have no plants at home because every time I've had them in my life they've died on me - and it makes me feel guilty.42. I have two cats (down from five) and they're about to turn 16 and I'll be devastated when they die. The others died at about 13 from various illnesses and every day I'm afraid something will happen because they're "overdue". Which is dumb because I'm not a superstitious person at all.43. I love champagne44. I like Pepsi to drink alone but prefer Coke with food.45. My all time favourite food is Vietnamese46. I don't like to cook but I adore cooking shows and cookbooks - go figure47. Numbers scare the hell outta me48. One of my comfort foods from childhood is cream of tomato soup with a peanut butter sandwich.49. I am not a people person. I am totally an introvert, and quite like my own company50. I have a stone on my desk that Mr. Jazzz gave me about 10 years ago. And I love my stone.